One of only 10 Governor's Community Achievement Award Winners

Keep Texas Beautiful has recognized Arlington as one of 10 winners of the 2012 Governor's Community Achievement Awards (GCAA) for outstanding community improvement.

The award is one of the most coveted annual environmental and community improvement honors in Texas. The winners will share $2 million in landscape funding from the Texas Department of Transportation; Arlington will receive $310,000 for a landscaping project along a local state right-of-way.

Communities submitted materials to one of 10 population categories and judges chose the winners based on their achievements in seven environmental and community improvement areas: community leadership and coordination, education, public awareness, litter prevention and cleanup, illegal dumping enforcement, beautification and property improvement, and solid waste management.

Arlington was recognized for such programs as Ecofest, Earth Day tree plantings, Molly Hollar Wildscape, Community Garden, Adopt-a-Highway, Lake Arlington Litter Challenge, Weed & Seed, Code Rangers, Reimagine Beverage Container Recycling Center, and Curbside Recycling among others.

The GCAA program has recognized outstanding communities since 1969, with TxDOT providing landscaping awards since 1985. Arlington will receive its award on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas during KTB's 45th Annual Conference.

Keep Arlington Beautiful is a city-wide initiative participated in by multiple city departments and went under management by Arlington Parks and Recreation in December, 2010. Currently efforts are underway to secure a 35 member board made up of citizens and local leaders. For more information and KAB, call 817-459-5474 or facebook.com/keeparlingtonbeautiful.

Keep Texas Beautiful, a statewide grassroots environmental and community improvement nonprofit, strives to educate and engage Texans to take responsibility for improving their community environment. KTB and its more than 360 affiliates work with government, businesses, civic groups and volunteers to ensure that every Texan has the opportunity to make Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation. For more information on programs and events, call 1-800-CLEAN-TX or visit www.ktb.org.